The bronze medal women's Olympic team is off to China for the Women's World
Team Championships, which run from September 1-12 in Ningbo, China. The U.S. team consists of Irina Krush, Anna Zatonskih, Rusudan Goletiani, Alisa Melekhina and Tatev Abrahamyan. Alisa replaces Kateryna Rohonyan, who played in Dresden, Germany but is currently busy with work. Competing teams include Armenia, two teams from China, Georgia, India, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and Vietnam.

Team captain Michael Khodarkovsky told CLO that "from various places, we are on our way to Ningbo and will update you when we arrive." September 1 is the opening ceremony, September 2 is round one, and Sept.7 will be a rest day. GM Gregory Kaidanov is the coach. Look for more information as the tournament progresses.

Irina Krush arrived a few days early, to get over jetlag and to explore Shanghai, where she hadn't been since the China-U.S summit match in 2002. "I think (coming early) was a good idea, " Irina told CLO, "In the airport I was met by my friend Qiu Zhe, whom I met in Beijing four years ago, and haven't seen since that trip. We've been walking around Shanghai together, and tomorrow we're going to take the train to Ningbo together (he has a girlfriend in Ningbo)." Some photos from Irina's Shanghai walks.

"What attracted me about this image is that I'm so into yoga, obviously!

Irina strikes a yoga pose herself

Irina's friend and Shanghai tour guide

"That huge thing is a winter melon-I got to try it at a restaurant the next day!"

"In the Yu Garden, a Ming dynasty garden, a relatively tranquil place, away from the bustle of the city...and these two guys...are they looking at the scenery? Nope, they're looking into their cell phones! Cell phones are really big here....people are on them all the time."

The only Christian church with traditional Chinese architecture in Shanghai.

Two vs. four wheelers

Irina Krush will also contribute an article to Chess Life Magazine on the World Women's Team Championship.